


Days of Auld Lang Syne

by aphrodize



Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Dinners, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 10:11:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15705132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphrodize/pseuds/aphrodize
Summary: The first of many family dinners.





	Days of Auld Lang Syne

On New Year's Eve, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert found herself surprisingly lonely for people her age. Diana and the rest of the Berrys had gone to see Aunt Josephine in Charlottetown. The Gillis family were spending the New Year on the mainland. Jane Andrews was still on the island with her family and had invited Anne to get together, but the last thing Anne wanted was to ring in the New Year in the same room as Billy Andrews.  
Anne sighed and looked out wistfully at the December snow. White blanketed every inch of the grand and made the world look deliciously bright that Anne felt that she couldn't be too disappointed about her lack of friends during this holiday.  
Marilla walked in with a pile of firewood in her arms and placed the logs next to the stove. She was shivering slightly as she fed the wood to the stove hatch.  
"Anne, I need you to run an errand for me."  
The young girl perked up. "Yes, Marilla? Is it some urgent letter that needs to be mailed with utmost secrecy, perhaps detailing the discovery of rare gemstones that-"  
"For heaven's sake, child. Do you ever stop daydreaming?"  
"Oh, Marilla, I wouldn't dare. There is simply too much to think about. My mind needs occupation since we are on vacation. I do so miss Miss Stacy. I hope she'll tell us all about New York when she comes back. Manhattan sounds like the most interesting city. I should very much like to travel there myself one day. However-"  
Marilla sighed. "Anne, please."  
Anne smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."  
The older woman sat down and pulled out an envelope from her apron pocket. On it, in neat, strict cursive were the names Mr. Gilbert Blythe, Mrs. Mary Lacroix, Mr. Sebastian Lacroix.  
"What is this?"  
"It's an invitation. We have few plans, and I have more food than I know what to do with. Try as they might Avonlea has not been as accepting of our neighbors as they should be. This is their first New Year as a family, and we should welcome them as such."  
Anne's stomach knotted. Frankly, she was appalled at the slurs thrown at the Lacroixs and Gilbert as they attended church and walked through town. How could people be so intolerant and closed-minded just because of skin color? It was unbelievable! All the information and stories that Mary and Bash had to share all, all hushed up because they looked different.  
Anne had no qualms about inviting Sebastian or Mary. She enjoyed them immensely, and they indulged her by answering any and all questions she had. Granted, she had to limit her endless inquisition to five questions each visit - Marilla's orders.  
No, Bash and Mary were not the problem.  
The problem was Gilbert.  
Gilbert was different. Or at least, different to Anne. He still kept her on her toes at school, and unfortunately was still better at algebra than she was. That was nothing new.  
What was new, however, was this feeling in her stomach.  
A tingling sensation of sorts, right in the pit. And whenever she was talking to Diana and Ruby or studying, Anne hoped that Gilbert would...look at her. Just a glance, not for long, only a second or so. Because that was what she was doing now. Constantly. Little peeks throughout the day.  
"Well get a move on," Marilla said, "wear an extra pair of socks."  
Anne snapped out of her thoughts and trudged upstairs. After grabbing her socks, she turned to head out when she spotted herself in the mirror.  
Slowly approaching her reflection Anne observed her face.  
The sun was not as strong during the winters so there were no additional freckles on her face. However, all of the new ones she had acquired over the summer were still there. The cold air made Anne’s face dry and slightly puffy.  
She pursed her lips and glanced at her bedside table. There sat some mint lotion that Marilla had gotten her after her face and hands had started bleeding from the winter air.  
The only good thing about Anne's appearance as of late was her hair. After the disastrous dye incident, her hair had grown back thicker and darker than it had previously been.  
"He's just a boy. I will not change my looks for a boy because that is absolutely ridiculous. Which is fitting because Gilbert Blythe is-"  
"Anne! Get going please!"  
"Coming!" Anne called, running down the stairs.  
Marilla was sipping a cup of tea as Anne tugged on her gloves, coat, hat, and scarf. She quickly shoved the letter in her pocket. "I shall be back soon, Marilla."  
"Yes, yes, just hurry for goodness sake."  
Despite her four layers of clothing, Anne was freezing during her walk to the Blythes' farm. She found herself daydreaming about hot saunas and Turkish baths as a way of keeping her imagination warm. It wasn't until Gilbert's house came into view that her stomach knotted once again.  
What if he answered the door? Should she talk to all of them? Or just Gilbert? What if they couldn't come? Or worse, what if they _could_?  
"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert," she muttered to herself, in a tone that could have only been known from Marilla. "Stop this nonsense. Polite. Bite your tongue. Don't talk so much. Alright." By the time her little speech was over, Anne had walked up and knocked on the front door.  
It opened to reveal two kind, surprised brown eyes.  
"Anne Shirley-Cuthbert. What a pleasant surprise."  
The young girl smiled widely. "Mrs. Lacroix. I hope I'm not disturbing you."  
Mary laughed, a beautiful bell-like sound echoing off the crisp, winter air. "You are just the distraction I was hoping for. Keeping the house clean with two men is more work than I thought. Come in, get out of the cold weather."  
Anne smiled and stepped inside, eager to get out of the, quite literally, blistering cold.  
Mary shut the door behind her and Anne walked into the kitchen. She hadn't really been in the Blythe house since she had embarrassed herself by exclaiming "I would make a terrible wife," at Gilbert. She scrunched her nose up at the memory.  
The house itself looked different. There were pictures hung up on the wall. Anne caught sight of a young mister and missus Blythe. There was another picture of five children all with curly, dark hair and easy smiles. A young baby was placed at the center of the group, and Anne grinned when she realized it was Gilbert.  
There were other pictures too. One with Mary, Bash, and Gilbert together. Mary sat on a wooden fence laughing while Bash and Gilbert held their rakes like swords, both with big smiles plastered on their faces. Another frame held a picture of a young man that Anne could only assume was Mary's seldom talked about child.  
Shelves in the kitchen were filled with various held various jars containing many colors and labeled with lovely cursive. The tablecloth had lace around the edges and in the center sat a china teapot. The house was warm with the heat of the stove.  
"It's quite different," Anne said. "The last time I was here, the entire house felt dreadfully desolate and lonely."  
"I was surprised at the state of it when I arrived. It just needed a few touches. It feels like a home now."  
They both sat down, and Mary poured Anne a steaming cup of tea. "Are Bash and Gilbert here or-?"  
"Oh no. Bash left for the mercantile a few minutes ago, and Gilbert has his apprenticeship with Dr. Ward. He's been restless lately. He studies constantly or is fixing something outdoors. I don't think that boy is resting enough."  
"Sounds like Gilbert," Anne chuckled.  
Mary raised her eyebrows. "Have you two been friends for a while?"  
Anne looked down at her teacup and stirred it slowly as not to meet Mary's eyes. "No," she replied softly. "I- I have not been a kindred spirit to Gilbert, I'm afraid. All out of my stubbornness and temper."  
"Really?" the older woman asked, surprised. "He speaks so highly of you."  
"I am trying to be a better friend to him now. When he was away...everyone missed him dearly. He was terribly lonely after his father died. Maybe even before then. But he's back now and with a beautiful family. He is happier with you and Bash here. The change in him is quite miraculous."  
Mary grinned, sipped her tea and gave Anne a knowing gaze. "I don't think it's just us that sparked a change in the young Mr. Blythe. I believe he missed his friends here, yes. But there's something in Avonlea that Gilbert holds very dear to his heart, I think. At least, that's what Bash says."  
Anne pretended that Mary's meaning went over her head and tried to stop the blush from appearing on her cheeks.  
"So Miss Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, I am sure you didn't come all the way over here just for me."  
Anne pulled the envelope addressed to the three family members and handed it to Mary. The woman grinned and blushed a light shade of pink when she read her new last name. Carefully she opened the envelope and read its contents.  
"Oh Miss Cuthbert is a charming lady," Mary said. "We didn't have much planned this evening. We would love to come to Green Gables for dinner and the fireworks."  
Anne clapped her hands together excitedly. "Oh, that is wonderful news! It will be positively delightful to spend the last night of this magnificent year together. I must go home and tell Marilla.  
Anne downed the rest of her tea and scurried out the door. "You must excuse my abrupt departure, Mrs. Lacroix, but there is so much to be done. We'll see you this evening!"  
Mary laughed as the redhead ran from the house in the direction of her own home. Then she returned to her kitchen to see what she would bring the Cuthberts' for dinner.

* 

Gilbert Blythe was dead on his feet when he boarded to train back to Avonlea. His apprenticeship had been going well. A Christmas present from the good doctor was Gilbert's very own stethoscope, an instrument the young man carried with pride. Dr. Ward had not only allowed him to observe patients but also check their vitals. The days were always filled with something to do.  
Jaimie Harrolds came in with a three-inch piece of wood sticking out of his forearm.  
Gilbert was able to keep calm as he passed the rubbing alcohol, the forceps, and the stitching needle.  
When the girl left- after promising she wouldn't go into her father's toolshed again unsupervised- Gilbert let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.  
His mentor laughed and clapped him good-naturedly on the back. "You turned a little pale there, Mr. Blythe. And you became remarkably quiet for someone with so much to say."  
Gilbert chuckled weakly as he took the instruments to the boiling pot that sat on a wooden table in the corner. "Seeing pieces of wood sticking out of people takes a strong stomach."  
"That it does. But Gilbert," the doctor said softly as helped Gilbert cleanse and sanitize the used supplies. "You have the makings of a great healer. You're smart but also compassionate. In a field like this, you must have compassion."  
The door swung open and in walked two identical boys about Gilbert's age. One of them had a cloth over his eyes while the other led the way.  
"I told you going off in the woods was a bad idea-"  
"You brought it up in the first place!" exclaimed the one with the apparent malady.  
Dr. Wad laughed as he greeted the two men. "Jonathan and Maxwell Billings. It's been almost a month, I was getting worried."  
The boys chuckled. "We missed you, doc. We had to get into trouble one way or another."  
"Indeed you have. Well Jonathan, what did you do this time?" He asked the boy with the cloth.  
"It was all Max's fault-"  
"He just started rolling around in some grass yesterday-"  
"On a _dare_ , I might add-"  
"It's not my fault you were too chicken to jump in the lake-"  
"Well, I wasn't going to freeze my toes off-"  
"Anyway, Jonathan's eyes are swelling and pink. It's been two days so we thought we'd come in. Especially since he won't stop moaning about it."  
"Excuse you, I am not _moaning_ -"  
"Boys," the doctor interrupted, "all right. Let me have a look. Gilbert-"  
Gilbert walked over and smiled at the two young men.  
"Gilbert Blythe is my apprentice, he's studying to become a doctor. Gilbert this is Jonathan and Maxwell Billings. I get a quarter of my business from them."  
"Nice to meet you," the boys said in unison, Maxwell extending his hand in greeting.  
"Jonathan, would you mind terribly if Gilbert peers over my shoulder as I tend to you?"  
"Not at all. Take a nice, long look."  
Dr. Ward lifted up the cloth. Jonathan's eyes were swollen and a sharp shade of reddish pink. Green discharge sat in the corner of his eyes, and they were crusted shut.  
"Have you experienced any change in vision?"  
"No," sighed Jonathan as Dr. Ward turned his face to get a better view of the infected eyes. "They just burn. I've placed compresses on them, but it still hasn't cleared up."  
"It will take a few more days to heal, I'm afraid. What you have a case is conjunctivitis. This is when bacteria infects the membrane of the eye. Since your vision isn't impaired, this is not very serious. Gilbert, go to the cabinet and grab me two vials of the clear liquid on the fourth shelf."  
Gilbert did as he was told, his eyebrows furrowing at the small bottles. He handed them to Dr. Ward with a curious look on his face.  
"Thank you. This, boys," the doctor held up the clear liquid, "is a mixture of sodium chloride and water called 'saline solution.' Max, you may want to help Jonathan when he uses this. You are going to have to flush your eyes with this three times a day. There is a little dropper to help with precision. Keep some warm compresses on your eyes. Don't share clothes or touch anything without washing your hands for another three days or so. You should be back to normal by the end of the week."  
The boys grinned identical smiles.  
"Thanks, doc," Jonathan said.  
"Try not to rub your eyes if you can help it. And wash your hands a lot!"  
"How much do we owe you?" Max asked, pulling out a small purse from his coat pocket.  
"Three dollars. I will admit this is the tamest ailment you two have ever had."  
Max chuckled and handed over the coins. "Next time we'll cook up something real good for you, doc. Especially now that you've got an apprentice. I'm almost embarrassed at how calm this is."  
"There's usually more screaming," Jonathan said seriously.  
"Well, I'll be here," Gilbert replied.  
"See you soon, then. Thanks again, doc."  
The twins gave another goodbye and left the clinic. Dr. Ward and Gilbert washed their hands in a comfortable silence.  
The rest of the day passed with minimal excitement. Dr. Ward taught Gilbert the proper way to sew up a small cut - 'Always have a steady hand, Mr. Blythe - a homemade salve made from jewelweed and plantain, and have Gilbert a diagram depicting the heart with all its chambers and valves.  
When five o'clock came, the good doctor bid Gilbert a farewell. "I'll see you next year," he winked.  
Gilbert was more than ready to sit in his seat and let his eyes est. He had absorbed so much information and was simultaneously excited and exhausted that this was the profession he dreamed of having.  
When the train arrived at Avonlea, Gilbert had nothing on his mind but food and bed. He didn't care that it was the last night of the year, he wanted to sleep. His home was a fifteen-minute walk from the station. He hopes Mary or Bash had dinner ready. They had taken turns cooking each night. Mary's dishes were similar to the ones he had grown up with; chicken, pork, mashed potatoes, fish all made with a light seasoning (salt).  
Bash's dishes, however, were every bit Trinidadian. Spicy curry and yogurts with vibrant colors. Gilbert's mouth watered as he walked eagerly to his house.  
"I'm home," he called, hanging his jacket, scarf, and hat on the nearby stand.  
The house was silent, and Gilbert could not help but remember how he felt two years ago, in this house, recently orphaned, cold, and alone. He shook his head in an attempt to banish the sad thoughts and wandered into the kitchen.  
The stove was still warm, and an oil lamp dimly burned on the table. Next to it were two pieces of paper. One in an envelope addressed to Mr. Gilbert Blythe, Mrs. Mary Lacroix, Mr. Sebastian Lacroix.  
_Dear Gilbert, Mary, and Bash,_  
_We hope you will be able to accept an invitation to New Year's Eve dinner at Green Gables at 7:00pm. We hope we can ring in the New Year with you three this evening at Barry's Pond after supper._  
_Yours sincerely,_  
_Marilla Cuthbert_

__

_Blythe,_  
_We accepted the invitation to the Cuthberts. We know didn't want to miss a chance to see your girl. Come as soon as you can. It's never good to keep a lady waiting._  
_\- Bash_  
All of Gilbert's lost energy came back with full force. He was going to see Anne tonight. He would celebrate the New Year with that splendid girl. His heart pounded in anticipation as he scurried up to his room to freshen up and change his clothes.  
He settled on a dark green shirt, an old gray cardigan that was doing remarkably well for its age, and black trousers. He combed his curls quickly before running downstairs and pulling on his recently discarded coat, scarf, and hat.  
Anne and Green Gables were twenty minutes away.

*

The crushing sense of disappointment that Anne felt when she did not see Gilbert arrive with Mary and Sebastian startled her. She had spent all afternoon keeping her imagination so that the dinner of buttered salmon, steamed vegetables, warm bread, and chocolate pudding came out perfectly.  
Marilla had noticed Anne's lack of distraction and would have been almost worried had Anne not muttered something under her breath about the pink of the salmon clashing with the red of her hair. Nevertheless, the girl was quick and efficient. As soon as the clock struck six, Anne had hightailed up to her room to refresh herself.  
When the knock on the door echoed through the house, Anne had raced down to the greet the trio, only to find two of her dinner guests at the door. Her excitement at seeing Mary and Bash, however, could not and would not be dampened or contained by the absence of Gilbert Blythe.  
"Mister and Missus Lacroix! It is delightful to see you. Please come in. May I take your coats?" she asked, stepping aside so they could enter the toasty house.  
The couple gave Anne warm smiles as the hung their coats on the hooks by the door.  
Marilla and Matthew gave the married couple soft greetings and handshakes and led them into the living room.  
"Something smells awfully food," Bash said. He glanced down at the plate Mary held in her hands.  
"This," his wife said, "is a pumpkin pie. My grandmother made them when I was younger. It works better as a dessert, but she always let us have a taste before dinner."  
"It looks positively scrumptious. Oh, Marilla, may we have some now? It smells heavenly, Mary."  
Marilla's eyes widened the tiniest bit. Dessert before dinner simply wasn't done. But one look at Anne's excited eyes and Mary's soft expression, she melted. "Best not to mess with tradition then. I'll get a knife."  
Together they filed into the kitchen, and Marilla cut the orange dessert into small pieces. The pie was sweet and warm. The flavor of pumpkin was enhanced by the presence of the cinnamon aftertaste.  
"Mrs. Lacroix, I am quite certain I will never have another pumpkin pie that can compete with this delectable pastry."  
"It is delicious, Mrs. Lacroix," Matthew said softly.  
"My wife is talented at many things. One of the reasons why I married her."  
"Hush," she said, hitting Bash playfully on the chest.  
"Shall we sit down? We don't want the food to get cold."  
"Absolutely. Marilla, can I help you with anything?"  
"No, no, Mary. Everything is on the table. Just seat yourselves wherever you'd like."  
Mary and Bash took two seats next to each other. Matthew and Marilla claimed the two heads of the table, their rightful places as hosts of the evening. Which left Anne with a vacant seat on her right side.  
"Will uh-" Matthew cleared his throat as he glanced at the empty spot. "Will Gilbert be joining us tonight?"  
Anne's heart skipped.  
"Oh Gilbert will be a long," Bash said, giving Mary a knowing smirk. "He's been working hard with the doc in Charlottetown and gets back late."  
"We will save him a plate," Marilla said.  
They joined hands to say Grace before eagerly digging into their feast.

* 

Gilbert arrived at Green Gables with his bones aching from the cold and butterflies in his stomach. He was thirty minutes late to dinner, which was not the worst timing all things considered, but still felt rude nevertheless.  
Gilbert pulled off his warm hat, rapped the door gently, and ran his fingers through his curls. He prayed they didn't look too wily and rowdy from the chilling wind.  
The door flew open to reveal a goddess.  
Anne looked like a dream and Gilbert had to secretly pinch himself to make sure he was indeed awake.  
She wore an amethyst colored dress. It was a bit longer than what she usually wore and slightly more fitted. Anne's hair looked like rich ember against the deep purple of the dress. Rather than her usual two braids he had grown so accustomed to, her hair was in one long braid, tied with a silver ribbon and tossed over her left shoulder.  
"Gilbert," she breathed softly as if his name were a word she cherished but rarely said.  
"Anne. Hi," he whispered her name like a prayer.  
Her blue eyes looked gray in the dim lighting, and Gilbert felt a warmth spread all over his body as he drank in her face - the constellations of freckles, the slight lift of her brown, and the depths of her eyes that held a million stories.  
"Anne! Invite the poor boy in before he freezes to death!"  
Flustered they broke their stares, and Anne stepped aside to let Gilbert enter. As he shrugged off his coat, Anne was quick to take it from him. In the rush of the movement, their hands touched, and Gilbert watched as her cheeks reddened.  
"Thank you."  
"Of course. I- I'm glad you're here," Anne said, hanging his coat next to his family's belongings.  
"Me too."  
Marilla smiled at the pair as they entered the dining room. "Ah, Gilbert. We were beginning to worry."  
"My apologies for arriving so late. I had no idea I would be spending my evening with such good company."  
"You can take a seat next to Anne. We have kept a plate warm for you-"  
"Don't trouble yourself, Marilla," Anne interrupted. "I will fetch it."  
She appeared a moment later with a plate piled high with fish, vegetables, bread, and a slice of pumpkin pie. He met her eyes again as she placed the food in front of him. "Thank you."  
"I hope you're hungry," she said, taking her seat once again.  
"Famished."  
Mary leaned forward, her eyes scanning his face for signs of fatigue."How was your day at the clinic?"  
"Long," Gilbert admitted before taking a bite of fish. "But full of information. This is excellent, Miss Cuthbert."  
"Thank you, Gilbert. It's an old family recipe. However, I cannot take all the credit. Anne was a great help in the kitchen today."  
Gilbert turned to the redhead on his right with raised eyebrows. "Is that so?"  
"I have made it my goal this summer to improve my housekeeping skills. My imagination can give me recipes all it wants, but they will be of no use to me if I cannot in fact cook."  
"Well based on this meal I say your goal has been achieved."  
Anne met his eyes with a sheepish smile. "You must tell us all about the clinic. What is the doctor like? And your patients?"  
"Somethings are less serious than others. One of the most harmless cases today was a cause of conjunctivitis, commonly knowns as-"  
"Pink eye," Anne gasped, "yes of course."  
"You know of it?"  
Anne opened her mouth to respond when a sudden, faraway look appeared in her eye. "I have seen a fair share of it." Before anyone could inquire what Anne meant, the girl continued on quickly. "A home remedy which I have found to prove quite useful is black tea."  
Everyone's eyebrows furrowed at the statement.  
"Well, the tea leaves themselves reduce inflammation and the crust that forms around the eyes. Just place the leaves in a cheesecloth and set them on the eyes for a few minutes each day. Though I am sure, your mentor has other, official ways of treating- what was it? Conjunctivitis."  
Sebastian gave a great guffaw when the silence that followed Anne's explanation lasted a bit longer than normal. "Anne of Green Gables, your really are something else. Maybe you should go and see if that doctor can give you an apprenticeship to, eh?"  
Gilbert could picture it. He and Anne working together, sterilizing metal instruments and competing over who could name the most bones in the human body. (And Dr. Ward, no less, thinking how perfect and oblivious the two were to each other.)  
Anne blushed."Nursing people back to health is one of the most romantical things I could possibly imagine. However, I believe that is Gilbert's calling. Tell us, Gilbert, I doubt your doctor has prescribed his patients' tea leaves to heal pink eye."  
Gilbert chuckled and shook his head." No, but I will mention the tea leaves to him next time I go in. Dr. Ward gave them a clear liquid called 'saline solution.' It's a combination of salt diluted with water and mixed together. It's supposed to flush out the bacteria over a few days.  
"Fascinating! Will table salt do the trick?"  
"I don't think so actually. He called the salt 'sodium chloride.' Which I can only assume is a bit different than-" Gilbert gestured to the salt shaker in the center of the table, "that. But enough about me. Mr. Cuthbert, do you and your farmhand have high hopes for harvest?"  
The conversation danced from topic to topic. Matthew spoke about the potatoes and beets. Sebastian listened intently as the shy, older gentleman gave a few tips about plowing. Marilla and Mary discussed Mary's son and the church sermon from last Sunday, which was interrupted by four boys who decided to run across the church's roof.  
The two teenager tuned in and out of the conversation and made a few remarks themselves. For the most part, though, they were content to sit side by side and sneak sideways glances at each other, having a silent conversation away from their families in a world all their own.  
Eventually, it came time to head to Barry's Pond, where the annual fireworks and countdown to the New Year was held every December 31st. This would be the first year the Barrys would be absent, but they gave permission for the festivities to be held, loathe to interrupt tradition just because of their absence.  
Anne and Marilla set to clearing the table while Matthew and Gilbert went to the barn to ready the horse and buggy. The pair worked silently as Matthew prepare Belle for a night out of the barn. Gilbert enjoyed Matthew's company and the silent, soft presence he held.  
Matthew, on the other hand, found himself curious about the young Blythe boy, especially since he had been so good and kind to Anne. Matthew, for all his shyness, was a keen observer. Anne might not see it yet, but she wouldn't be blind forever.  
He felt a pang in his heart at the thought. He and Marilla had not loved Anne for a long time, and he wished that they could have loved her for her entire life so that she would not have had to experiences the cruelties that she did. And yet, everyday Anne was growing, becoming smarter, wittier, and unbelievably radiant. It was only a matter of time before suitors came knocking on the Cuthberts' door.  
But Gilbert Blythe, Matthew thought, was already a few steps ahead. He saw Anne's beauty and passion immediately. He didn't think it strange or silly. Matthew could see the boy was enchanted by his daughter. And the Blythes were a good family- nay, a great one. They raised the children well, and Gilbert, in spite of all the hardships he had suffered, had come beautifully into his own.  
"You know," Matthew said softly, "you have-uh- have turned into a strapping young lad."  
Gilbert looked up.  
"John and Alice- they'd be mighty proud of the man you've become."  
Gilbert smiled faintly, and Matthew could see the resemblance he bore to his departed parents. John's hair and build, Alice's eyes and smile. Gilbert's spirit, though, his determination- that was something uniquely his own.  
"Anne speaks real good of you. She's a strong girl, no doubt about that. And stubborn as a mule."  
Gilbert chuckled. "That she is."  
"You're both young," Matthew continued, as he led Belle and the buggy out of the barn with Gilbert keeping step with him. "But when the time comes...Anne's imagination is wonderful. Sometimes though she doesn't see what's right in front of her. But in time...in time she will. Be patient with her is all."  
Gilbert was silent for a moment. In all his life he had hardly had a full conversation with Matthew Cuthbert, and there went the older gentleman, leaving him utterly speechless. Gilbert understood that this man of few words used them beautifully and effectively. Matthew was giving him a blessing of sorts.  
Years later, when Gilbert was older, and his patience with Anne Shirley-Cuthbert had paid off in the best of ways, he would return to Matthew Cuthbert, this time with the presence of his older sister and ask for another blessing concerning their red-headed girl.  
For the present, Gilbert nodded and said quietly but determinedly, "I will. I won't let her down. I promise."  
The duo met the rest of the group in front of the house. Marilla, Matthew, and Anne squeezed into the front of the buggy, while Mary, Bash, and Gilbert huddled together in the back.  
A few families were already at Barry's Pond when they arrived. The Andrews, the Sloanes, and the Spurgeons. Anne and Gilbert waved to their classmates as they drove by. Mr. Sloane and Mr. Andrews began setting up the fireworks while their sons brought forth a large clock at the edge of the lake.  
It was ten minutes until midnight when Anne tugged on Gilbert's sleeve. "Come on," she urged, and lead him back to the nearby trees. They could still see the pond and the festivities, but they were safely out of the town's prying eyes and gossiping mouths.  
"Kidnapping is illegal, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert," he teased.  
Anne rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "I'm not kidnapping you."  
_A shame_ , he thought. No, it wasn't really kidnapping if he was more than willing to follow her anywhere.  
"I have something for you."  
She pulled out a brown package tied with an orange ribbon. Anne placed the parcel in his hands, and he stared at it before meeting her gaze. "What's this?"  
"And here I thought you were top of our class, Mr. Blythe."  
"A certain red-headed genius always seems to snatch the first spot away from me."  
"It's a present."  
He let out a huff that was equal parts fondness and exasperation. "I gathered that much."  
"You gave me a dictionary last year-"  
"I never expected anything in return-  
"I know that," Anne said, cutting him off with a fierce look in her eyes. "But I wanted to get you something. And well- well please open it!"  
Gilbert untied the ribbon - few thoughts concerning the word 'carrots' ran through his mind, but he wisely kept his mouth shut - and tucked it safely into his coat pocket before gently tearing the neat folds of brown paper. The package revealed a black, leather journal with a bronze buckle. On the cover, in shiny gold letters were the initials G.J.B.  
Gilbert John Blythe.  
"Anne," he whispered breathlessly. "What- how-"  
"I think that every good doctor should have a journal to write down observances, notes about their patients, medical procedures, their thoughts in general. All that information in one book- it's very romantical, don't you think? Recipes to save lives."  
Gilbert's eyes were stinging as he looked down at the journal again. "This is too much, Anne."  
One day she would tell him about the misunderstanding with Marilla's amethyst brooch and the hours she spent in the train station selling poems and stories. One day she would tell him about the odd jobs she did when her hair was short, and she paraded around like a boy. One day she would tell him about houses she cleaned, the fields she plowed, and the minimal money she saved for this gift for him. And one day she would hold his hands and say, "Look, Gil, my hands are only slightly less calloused than yours, darling. But oh they do look lovely together, don’t they? Almost as if they were made to hold each other."  
But for now, all she said was, "I wanted to give you something I knew you would use and treasure. I wanted to."  
Gilbert shook his head and smiled brightly as he ticked the journal into his coat pocket right next to the orange ribbon. "Thank you."  
The clock struck twelve and the shouts of "Happy New Year" and the melody of _Auld Lang Syne_ filled the January air.  
_Should old acquaintance be forgot..._  
"Anne?"  
_And never brought to mind?_  
He stepped closer to her, their eyes never leaving each other. Slowly, so that if she wanted him to stop he would, leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Happy New Year."  
_We'll take a cup of kindness yet..._  
"Happy New Year, Gilbert," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close.  
Something changed between the two of them that night. They shared something special beyond academic rivalry and friendship. They were young, and it would be a while before they understood what was forming between them. Gilbert would be patient. For Anne Shirley-Cuthbert he would wait a lifetime.  
And Anne Shirley-Cuthbert would in time realize she would do the same for Gilbert Blythe.  
The two families, however, both older and wiser than their children, gave each other knowing looks and grins as they peeked at the embracing teenagers. They knew that this evening would be the first of many, _many_ family dinners.


End file.
